COLORADO SPRINGS — A local organization is brought dozens of kids together to create something special during the COVID-19 pandemic. The nonprofit's goal is to build community through their public projects.
The organization, called Concrete Couch, recently helped more than 50 kids build a three-story playground made completely out of recycled and reused materials.
"We asked the kids in the community what they wanted and the kids in the community were like, 'we want a playground,'" said Caitlin Hannigan, an education coordinator with Concrete Couch.
Before summer began, the idea for the playground was exactly that, just an idea. However, over the summer staff with the organization helped the kids' ideas come into fruition. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, they taught a large group of kids all skills they needed to make the playground become a reality -- skills like painting, tiling or using construction tools.
"I helped build this playground. It was really fun and I really liked building it," said Mahe Graff, a nine-year-old volunteer. "I got to learn the skill to drill, how to take out nails and stuff like that. I got to learn how to hammer."
Since 2003, the organization has connected communities by creating public art, murals, park benches and mosaics around the Pike's Peak region.
Kids built the playground however, using some of those skills they were taught, but skills that can certainly be used in the future.
"I feel like those are the skills that I need to know for life and survival," said Graff.
"It's awesome," said Adeline Green, another nine-year-old volunteer. "It also taught me how to do things that are larger."
The volunteers have helped create more than 600 projects and artwork around the city including the orange mosaic pumpkin in downtown Colorado Springs and the concrete benches in Manitou Springs.
For more information about Concrete Couch, click here.
